This Week in the Arts: Aug. 17-23

Want to watch a show that doesn’t require too much attention span? The Starlite Players is now presenting “Social Savvy,” a collection of short comedies that explore the laughable aspects of the struggle to fit in. Four plays will be performed each night this weekend.

Carolyn Zaput, left, and Rodd Dyer in "Man in the Basement," part of the Starlite Players production of "Social Savvy." PHOTO PROVIDED BY STARLITE PLAYERS

In “Man in the Basement” by Arlene Hutton, a suburban wife calls her sister and husband when she discovers a homeless man living in her basement. In “Mark My Worms” by Cary Pepper, two actors are cast in a newly discovered play by a deceased absurdist writer, and the director wants them to perform the play exactly as written, typos and all. “Putt-Putt,” by George Sapio has three advertising executives are concerned when their teammate proposes an idea for a Biblical/Christian themed miniature golf course. “Galoshes” by Robert Brophy, is about a divorced Catholic man, Martin, and his mother who insists on many things, including that he should never go out without wearing galoshes.

Nate Jacobs stars in his one-woman show "Aunt Rudele's Family Reunion" at the Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe. DON DALY PHOTO

Things are about to get sassy at the Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, where founder and artistic director Nate Jacobs returns with his one-woman show “Aunt Rudele’s Family Reunion.” Jacobs wrote the show and stars as Aunt Rudele, a busy-body relative who doesn’t know when to keep her mouth shut and always feels like she knows best. The story is set at the Stevns family reunion, where the audience gets to know about various family members through songs, dances, prayers and a few debates. Jacobs has been performing various versions of the show for nearly 20 years, including a 2001 run at the National Black Theatre Festival. The new production is directed by Julian Olf, the former Theater Department Chair at UMass-Amherst.

steep cost, which Llywelyn Jones explores in his play “Why Can’t I Be You,” which begins Tuesday at the Players Centre for the Performing Arts. Jones won the 2015 Players Centre New Play Festival with the play, which is about a confrontation between a rock star and a stalker who wishes he had all the fame and glory. Each year’s festival winner gets a full production the following summer, but in a twist this year, the Players will present Jones’ play in the more intimate Backstage Studio at the Players Centre instead of on the mainstage. Jeff Dillon is directing a cast that features Camilo Andres Bustos as the rock star and Rafael Petlock as the stalker.

There’s a lot more music to be heard this weekend as the Venice Theatre’s fourth annual Summer Cabaret Festival nears its conclusion.

Laurie Colton shares the stage with a group of friends in "Songs in the Key of Pink," an American Cancer Society Benefit at the Venice Theatre Summer Cabaret Festival.

Laurie Colton brings together a large group of theater friends for “Songs in the key of Pink,” a benefit for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life of Venice. The show is a tribute to a diverse assortment of female singers from Dusty Springfield to Sheryl Crow. She’s joined by Cara Herman, Jeffery Kin, Melissa Cripps, Geri Becker, Jennifer Baker, Jim Chaps, Kimberly Gaesser, Renee Cordonnier and Joey Panek. Performances are at 8 p.m. Aug. 18 and 19.

Charles Logan performs and songs and dances from classic stage and movie musicals in "Born This Way" at the Venice Theatre Summer Cabaret Festival. PHOTO PROVIDED BY VENICE THEATRE

Stephen Ditchfield is back, this year with “An American Songbook,” featuring contemporary and inspirational favorites at 2 p.m. Aug. 21 and 28.

Ariel Blue presents her one-woman show "The Power of the Voice" at the 2016 Venice Theatre Summer Cabaret Festival. PHOTO PROVIDED BY VENICE THEATRE

And at 8 p.m. Aug. 21 (and again on the 28th), Ariel Blue performs "The Power of the Voice." Blue is a regular with the Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe who was most recently seen in "How I Got Over: A Tribute to Mahalia Jackson." Her show uses song, spoken word and storytelling to share her journey in finding her own voice.

Deborah Hay as Katherina and Ben Carlson as Petruchio in the 2015 Stratford Festival production of "The Taming of the Shrew." DAVID HOU PHOTO/STRATFORD FESTIVAL

The Sarasota Opera continues its Sunday afternoon HD screenings of theater, ballet and opera with a production of Shakespeare's comedy "The Taming of the Shrew" from the Stratford Festival in Canada. Deborah Hay stars as Katherina, a strong-willed woman who fights her husband, Petrucchio's efforts to make her a docile wife. Ben Carlson plays Petrucchio in the production staged by Chris Abraham.

Jay Handelman

Jay Handelman is the theater and television critic for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, where he has worked since 1984. He also is President of the Foundation of the American Theatre Critics Association and a two-time past chairman of the association's executive committee. He can be reached by email or call (941) 361-4931. Follow him at @jayhandelman on Twitter. Make sure to "Like" Arts Sarasota on Facebook for news and reviews of the arts.

Last modified: August 17, 2016
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